Your long weekend wine box

Wine editor, Cathy Marston gives us her picks of the most suitable wines for a leisurely long weekend.

14 Jun 2016

What you should be sipping on if you’re lucky enough to have Friday off - making it a 4-day weekend! Here are 6 wines but we recommend you make it up to a 12 bottle case. It is a 4 day holiday after all!

Have fun!

Everyday White x 4

Blue Owl Chardonnay 2015 (R50 Pick n Pay)This is the second label from Allée Bleue on the outskirts of Franschhoek and I must be honest, I can’t remember being as impressed with an unwooded Chardonnay as this one. Especially not for the price. It really is a delicious drink without any harsh acidity or clumpy oak, just fresh, crisp, clean lemon fruit and a hint of marzipan. Delish.

Everyday Red x 4Earthbound Pinotage (R65 from major retailers)I’ve been teaching with this wine quite a lot recently because not only is it very feel-good but actually, it also tastes good too! It’s a Distell project which is organic and also Fairtrade (did you know SA is the world’s biggest supplier of Fairtrade wines?) and it’s lovely, fresh and fruity, great with food but just as happy quaffed on its own by the fireside.

Special Occasion White x 1

Avondale Cyclus White Blend 2013 (R268 from cellar door)Pushing the boat out here but in what a good cause! I love this wine. I love that they let it age a little before they release it, adding complexity. I love that it is biodynamic and organic - so strongly in touch with the soil from whence it comes. I love the delicate blending of Viognier, Chenin, Roussanne, Chardonnay and Semillon to make for a wonderfully-harmonious wine. And I love that it can stand up to robust, warming winter food – chicken casserole, here I come.

Special Occasion Red x 1

Abraham Perold Tributum 2011 (R455 from KWV Empyrean)Okay so we are REALLY pushing the boat out now but what are long weekends and Father's Days for if not to spoil ourselves and our special chap? This is the absolute flagship wine of KWV and it is truly a stunner – I don’t know how else to describe it. It is a powerful blend of mainly Shiraz and is styled to impress. Absolutely not delicate, but not aggressive either, simply strong, purposeful, powerful and complex. Perfect for toasting the men in my life.

Fizz x 1

Krone The Phoenix NV (R280 from specialist retailers)Because we always need fizz – right? Aaah – I do love me some extended-lees-time fizz. This one blends a few different years as far back as 2004. With at least 10 years of yeasty-contact, this is not a frivolous fizz, rather a hedonistic pleasure. Savoury rather than floral, with a complex, rich palate, it is a wine to enjoy with food – think seafood or or any fairly robust fish dishes. Or by itself, with friends worthy of the name.

Fortified x 1

Nuy Rooi Muscadel 2015 (R52 cellar door)There’s a whole new energy at Nuy these days – anyone going to Robertson can’t fail to see the new tasting centre and restaurant perched on the side of the R60 and on the occasion when I tried to eat there, they were running queues for days, so clearly it is worth my while returning. This is a fun little wine, a Winter warmer with sweet grapey-flavours and a nicely-integrated alcohol. Try it with chocolate pud, preferably with poached cherries on top.

Follow Cathy Marston on Twitter @cathymarston for more wine-fueled fun!